The Monster Hunter Files
by Kokiri-Hylian-Hero
Summary: When a Great Jaggi appears in the Sandy Plains the Hunter's Guild calls out Rick, an Elite Hunter, to hunt the monster. The monster is stronger than what anyone has known, and they send him out with seven Greenhorn Hunters, he must train them to become better fighters and together take down the Great Jaggi. But someone from Rick's past may add an unstable environment. Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

The Monster Hunter Files

**Disclaimer: Only the hunters belong to me, their outfits (including weapons) were programmed by the owners of Monster Hunter Tri, both the Ultimate and the original, so I just used what they gave me and did this story, the will be an author's note at the bottom, where reading it is optional—though you could just scroll pass it *grins*.**

An Urgent Quest

The hunter came out of his room in the early morning hours while Cha-Cha and Kayamba were stayed in, arguing over the last of the well done steaks Kayamba grilled for the occasion, while the chief stayed on the dock by Neko's ship, gazing out at the sea. The hunter stopped by a counter where stood a uniformed girl with a red painter's cap perched on her head, she was writing something in her thick, mostly empty notebook she looked up as the hunter stopped, he raised his hand to speak but she started talking first, "There you are, can't keep me waiting like that, you know? I was about to fill out the form without you." "You still need my signature." "Yes, but your trusty liaison—that's me—pretty much knows everything about your hunter status that there is to know." "I thought you said I could do that tomorrow." "Yeah, me too, but they sent me this here piece of paper, it says: 'Hunter to report status by tomorrow.'" She looked up at him and smiled, "That means we fill this out today, or else the mail won't reach them until the day after." "Yeah, well, you village people threw some long party last night and I feel like someone just shot me with an exhaust level three, so what do I do, just fill it out, or what?" "I have better hand writing, so for the professional reputation of us both could I write and you talk?" "Okay, oh, and you should have said 'It reads.' instead of 'It says.'" "Would you shut up? Okay, name?" he grunted, she sighed in utter exasperation, "O, great and mighty hunter, chaser off hunter of the Ceadeus, speak! State your name, please, mighty hunter—great Hero of Hunters!" "They call me Sir Rick." "Okay, Just Rick, rank?" "I am a powerful Elite Hunter." "What is your favorite game, O great one?" "My favorite game is chess, the game of kings." She glared at him and he grinned, "Oh you mean game as in what I hunt, do I have to answer that one?" "Yes, Rick, you actually do." "Come on, Guild Sweetheart, do you have to sign me up for that camp now? I talked with Junior yesterday, a Lagaricrus is out and about—during the evening!" "That'll have to wait, besides, this'll be fun, why are you hesitating?" "Because I thought you meant 'The day after' as in 'The day after tomorrow' and I was misled, I thought I was hitting two birds with one stone but all I managed to do was upset a Crimson Qurupeco." "Hey, they misled me too, I thought I knew what they were talking about, but apparently they don't trust us enough to keep us posted in advance—or at all." "After that stunt you pulled a couple of weeks ago, yeah, not surprising." "You said I'd get canned for that—yet here do I stand." "You were taking an unnecessary risk." He said softly, "It was necessary, what if you'd died on the mission? They would need to know that I was responsible." "You put a lot of stock in my survival skills, I can tell—besides they were watching me from their balloon." She sighed and shook her head, "I know," he continued, "as far as we knew I was on my own, and then that party, I thought it was the last one, but now they throw a second party, they must really like me." "Not that, it's just, you don't have survivor skills; you have a kick-the-monster-into-next-week mindset, nothing to help for but to vent it to someone, might I say an Uragaan, good hunter?" "Well, hard to argue there, sweetheart." "Pay-lease, you are so totally arrogant." "You said it first, I wasn't about to disagree, I learned a long time ago that that doesn't work too awfully well." "Ooh, what was her name?" "What—where in the ruins does that even begin to come from?" "From the bottom of my deep, cold heart—just like the Ceadeus!" she said, pointing at a drawing in her notebook. "Oh, yeah, you aren't incorrect there." He said after inspecting the drawing, "Yep, that's the slowpoke level five!" "Come on, you can tell me!" "No, I can't, the person—I meant you, guild girl." "Oh, really now, you meant me, like you're faultless? Well, yeah, that one time, maybe, but that was yesterday! And I need a new nickname." "Agreed, I get tired of calling you 'Sweetheart', 'Guild Girl', and the various other names we call you by." "I can't help it if people call me something without my knowing, I'll sort that out while you're out with some other hunters, you'll probably make plenty of friends." "Yeah, what am I hunting, again?" "It's just a way to get hunters together to help the newbies, no biggie." "If you so say, liaison." He said as he put his name on the dotted lines, "Oh, and do I get on the quest boat, or Neko's?" "Take the quest boat, after all, this is an Urgent Quest, those, as you've known since the No Love for Ludroth quest, an Urgent Quest must be completed A.S.A.P, but this one is one you must _initiate_ immediately, not complete, because that would be impossible, not enough time—aw, and they want you to train a really fine bunch of kids too—well, no more kids than you or I, but I'm the one with the very in depth—and kind of heavy—notebook, so I'm in charge!" "Oh, okay, I'll be seeing you later, Miss in Charge, hopefully you'll have a new nickname." He said, waving as he started walking towards the dock ahead of him when she called him back, "You never told me your favorite monster!" she said as though she just realized the blank space she had been staring at. He shrugged, and turned back around, "What's your favorite monster, Guild Girl?" "The Qurupeco, it's such a dreamy voice." She said dreamily. "Oh, well, mine is the Uragaan, that thing was a literal blast to take down!" she smiled as she heard the answer and wrote it down promptly, then looked back up at him, "I have a bad feeling about this one. Prove me wrong, okay?" he looked back and waved as he neared the pier.

Rick stepped off the boat; he looked around and sighed, "Port Tanzia? Could've just taken Neko's boat, at least I would've known I'd be placed here instead of a camp, may as well visit Granny Go-To, the granny to go to for any rare and expensive thing with the slight chance she may have something useful." Rick made his way past a counter and towards a gate leading to the other side of town, he stepped up next to a large bag which instantly turned to reveal an elderly lady half his height, "Welcome dearie, I've got a nice haul of rare goods for you today." She held out a list containing the information of the wares and found nothing of any interest; he smiled and shrugged, "Sorry, I'm good on these supplies right now, maybe later." "Thanks for stopping by, dearie, give me a shout if you need anything else." "I will, don't worry." He said as he went back to the gate, there he saw a party of seven around the table at Tanzia Grill, he walked up to them and sat on the bench, the a hunter with shoulder length gray hair crossed his arm, "Get lost, green horn, we've little use for you." "What are you talking about, newbie?" a bald man with a scar crossing his eye slammed his fist into his buddy's shoulder, "Sorry for his rudeness, but he has a point, you are a new hunter, yes?" Rick sighed and reached into his pocket with complete disinterest for the card he produced, "Rick, Elite Hunter, my card." "Jay, Greenhorn Hunter, but if I hear you talk down my skills I'll be the first to feed you to an Uragaan." Rick threw his head back in a fit of laughter, "What's so funny, Ely?" "Ah, ha, ha, Uragaans eat the rocks of the volcanoes they live near, I often followed the beast to its feeding place, it uses its jaw to slam the rocks—and if I'm particularly lucky, it hit's me too me—and the eat the rocks, while—if I was lucky—I go flying off behind it, but I hit it back while it eats, they of course also attack when you eat, I think there's something of an understanding between hunter and prey." A red hair woman on the other side of the table smiled and held her hand out, "That was a good one there, Rick, hey, come to think of it, we were supposed to receive an instructor tomorrow, I mean, it was going to be later, but they sent us out two days early, the hunter was said to have been sent down a day early instead of two, on account that they gave us the last power paddle." "Oh, I hate it when that happens." "Yeah—oh, I'm Robin, you've met Jasper, Steve here's been trying to keep him in line, but after that incident no one's taken him seriously, Ronald is the brown haired guy talking to the chef right now, I think maybe they've run out of something—I hope it was Jay's meal, I honestly do, but he's been annoying us and hogging all the food that isn't a Guild Ration since we were put on that boat that fateful morning. Oh, that's Lisa, the one talking to the arena girl down there, she's the brown haired one, I wasn't aware that Jeanette had left to, she's the shiny black haired one, Mike's the blonde asking the old man when the instructor will get here, that's everyone, tell me, what's the secret to a good hunt?" "There isn't one, you prepare, often you over prepare, but that's life, enjoy the hunt, think of clever ways to fight the monster, learn their secrets, I honestly haven't been an Elite for long, so don't ask too much." "Oh, wow, how did you come to be a hunter?" "I was fifteen when my aunt and uncle left me, my parents were hunters, so I decided that I'd find what they found in the hunt that they liked, and I figured out their goal in the hunt." She passed him a mug and handed him a platter he smiled, "You know, these things are Lagiacrus tails." "Get out of here." Robin laughed he smiled and shook his head, "I should know, see, in Moga they take the scales and eat off them, I imagine you're quiet shocked at this, yes?" "Tell me, a lagia, you ever seen one?" "You mean the Azure Lightning? Several occasions, in fact, there's one out in Moga Woods right now, I wanted to hunt it but you know that is, when your Guild liaison says to do something you don't talk back, anyway, Lagiacrus is no mean feat for me now, ha, ha, I now laugh, scoff, and jeer at the poor excuse for a hunter I was that came up to the sleeping wyvern, the monsters there woke him up, so he was pretty upset with me, I was so scared, but a few scars on his chest convinced him I was worthy to at least swim in the same sea, so he beat it, of course, that was me, I'd never laugh at anyone for seeing the stinky sea devil and high tailing it, but the punch line is that I first saw him when on a quest, I was merely going to carve some sea creatures and carrying back a few delicacies when the Lagiacrus showed face, I had to carve as quick as I could, even though my liaison said to get out of the water, oh, but I outsmarted the thing—or maybe I out stupid it, I doubt I'll ever know, but I was afraid, afraid of dying, afraid of the beautiful death that roared before me, afraid of failing a quest, and it finally got to the point where I wish I had brought along something to save me, a far caster, at least." "So, what happened?" Mike asked sitting down next to Rick, "I got the three monster guts and I got out of there the only way I knew how," he remembered running across the shore and then jumping behind a rock, "with style. That and absolutely no scars to prove my encounter, but I didn't need to prove anything, didn't want to, I was glad to be alive, but news in Moga travels like lightning, the whole village soon knew it was back, anyway, yeah, if I had gotten a scar it would have been on my surfaced corpse, no way I wanted to fail, cats to get me out of there or not, anyway, yeah, I know a lot about monster parts, hit a Barioth's tusks and they'll fall off." "Is that so?" Jeanette asked, walking up the wooden stairs to where her friends were listening to the new hunter's tales, "Oh, yes, amber tusks, they are pretty, the red and orange hue, the danger and excitement you still fell after the battle, the relic you obtained at the end of the quest, nothing quite like it, nothing at all." "So that's what your parents found?" Jasper asked, frowning disapproval, "I'm sure that's one thing, but they were looking to protect people from monsters that didn't understand where to draw the line, they still don't, monsters are just that, and they don't want to keep records, they don't want to make progress, they only run off instinct, yes, some have a tint of personality, but when you start talking about things past level three, you've gone far enough, they're alright out in the wild, I respect that, but when someone makes a request I answer it. My parents wanted to protect me, my aunt and uncle told me the story, a Lagiacrus went after us and my dad stayed back to fight it, then in comes another one wanting to take over the territory, so they fight and guess who gets trapped there? So mom comes over and makes some stun bombs, but all the shots are false, and let me tell you, I know she must have known the bombs might not work, but they tried and ended up killing one, though the other one took their lives and then ran, so when I heard about Moga I naturally perked up, I fought him for it for them both, it wasn't easy, but after a time a grew to love the village, I wanted to protect it, and I didn't fail them." "Oh, wow, that's terrible." Robin said, shaking her head, "How many have you bagged?" "I don't know right away, I'll have to get back with you later on that." "It doesn't matter, but I have heard you've taken on at least three Uragaans, is that true?" "I had to get the parts from somewhere, and I didn't take them on all at once, plus I'm more of a trapper than a slicer, I leave that to the guild, after all, I'm only allowed three carves from those guys, so they'll throw whatever my way anyway, right?" "Yeah, I guess that's true." "Oh please, Robin," Jasper groaned, "don't tell me you like the guy—he's obviously an old hunter, check out the furs, I wouldn't be caught dead in it." "I think you mean that you wouldn't be caught or dead in it, see, this is a Hunter's Cap, Mail, Vambraces, Flauds, and Greaves, a lot better than the tourist shorts you're running around in, in fact, I am sporting the complete Hunter's Gear for blade masters, this entire set is upgraded past armor sphere and armor sphere plus, so it's exponentially stronger than what it was when I gave the materials to the smithy to craft these clothes, and trust me, the carpenter bugs were well worth the catching, of course, you wouldn't know much about that, would you, Mister Born Hunter?" "You want to be fish food, don't you?" "If I wanted to be fish food I would have let the Lagiacrus take me down when I first saw him, Jasper." "Yeah, well guess what, Rick, you aren't even in this group of hunters, so I don't see why you don't leave right now." Rick nodded, "Yeah, I guess I'll be leaving now." After he left the other hunters glared at Jasper and left the grill.

The next day Rick went to see the courier, who had a letter for Rick, "From the Guild Girl, eh? Something about the man sending word about the hunters I'm to be training, just as I suspected, hey, who's this one from? Hey, it's the Frilly Trailblazer! If I'm not mistaken, nope, I'm not, Jack, I can't believe he's still hunting after what happened last time with the Purple Ludroth." He saw the smiling figure on the card running from a purple monster, he jumped forward and hit the ground with thud, when he stood the Royal Ludroth landed into him, and with a yell he hit the ground. "He's still wearing his Ludroth Gunner's Armor I see, the vest and this time with matching leggings, that's what I'm talking about, this time he won't almost drown under water, I wonder if he's in town or if he's just saying his to be nice, I'll bet he wants a hunt." Rick shook his head and frowned, then put the letter away and went back to the grill, the hunters from the other day were having a meal when he walked up to them, "Hey, Robin, Jay, Steve, Ronald, Jeanette, Lisa, and Jasper, glad I found my students before they got to worried about me." Jasper grimaced, "We're not worried about you, it's the instructor, he hasn't shown up, and just because he isn't here yet you don't get to waltz in and take his place, and we're not worried, just angry, he was supposed to show up, but I guess being an Elite Hunter means you can take your time, he's still getting paid, I bet." "Are you sure it's not him?" Robin wondered, "Because he seems pretty knowledgeable, though I'm sure you have to, to beat such great monsters day in and day out, but he could still be the guy, even if he is kind of young." "Ah, great, falling over this jerk, Robin? Do you have any idea if he's not just some guy pretending to be a hunter so he can get us into the wild, then bam! Great sword on our heads, then it'll be over for us all." "Hey, Jasper, if you want to know who I am, go to the arena and ask who the best time is for the Royal Ludroth—the Purple Ludroth, here's an occasion where I was going after the best time, now I would have stuck with the bronze prize for twelve minutes, but I only got thirteen minutes and fifty-eight seconds, surely someone will remember that time, alson, I took out every weapon against the Lagombi." "No way you didn't!" Ronald exclaimed, "Get out of here." Jeanette said with a smile, "Way, I could have gotten away with it too; if it wasn't for the short temper those guys come with." "Just because you didn't beat it in the time you wanted doesn't mean it was a guy, it's royal, so it could be a king or queen, couldn't it, Robin?" "Actually, I've been reading up on it, they're the alpha male, they control the pack, like the Great Jaggi, only without the lizard looks and simple attack patterns, I fought a Great Jaggi once, I was well over stocked, but I'm glad I was, or I would have probably been under stocked, as is usually the case, Rick, right? Do we call you Mister Rick now, or is there no real etiquette in the hunter lingo?" "I'm usually called 'good hunter' by my liaison, she called me that when I saw the Lagiacrus the first time, she's called me that once more after that, but hasn't ever called me by anything else, except for yesterday, that's when she called me by my name, Rick." "Oh, you don't mind if we just call you Rick, right?" Jeanette asked. "Who cares if he minds? He's our equal here, there's no rank among hunters when they're out on the field, then the senior hunters could make the new guys put their necks on the line—no way, he's just an instructor." Jasper said, finishing his meal. Rick smiled, "Exactly, except you, Jasper, to you I will be known as Mister Rick, I know, I'm being unfair, playing favorites, being childish, yes, maybe it'll do you good to be humiliated once or twice, never before have I seen such a mean spirited hunter, it's like they went and caught a Qurupeco, then put the fighting style of a Rathalos in that head of yours, then got the habits of a Barroth, and-" Robin's laughing interrupted him, he smiled, "Care to share the joke, Robin?" "No, it's nothing, just—the Barroth's habits, ah, ha, ha, rolling in mud all the time, flinging messes on everyone else, slowing them down, that's just like him! And the impersonations he does, if that kind of perception's all you need to be a gunner then you've of course master that, anyways, yeah, he's hard to get along with, and the Rathalos—definitely a flame thrower, you can't make him happy without a couple of tranquilizer bombs." She frowned, "What's wrong?" "Nothing, just once he put tinged meat in Steve's pouch, he had gunner gear only, and he was up on a swarm of Jaggi, well, he goes to take a bite and he's paralyzed, the Jaggi all seemed to attack at the same time, but don't worry, Steve's very creative, he got a pop fish and put it on some ice crystals, hid it in the bed where Jasper's back would be, so when Jasper goes to lie down, it's dark, he's a mess, mud and sweat in his eyes and he just wants some rest, so he jumps backwards, into the bed, and lands square on the fish, I was digging scales out of his back for a week." "Yeah, and I'm still sore, both in mind and spirit, I will get my revenge." "You guys are just breeding trouble; its Rathalos meets Lagiacrus meets Duramboros meets Uragaan! You guys are going to kill each other!" "Yeah, tell it to Jasper, we try to help him and we may as well have dropped him in the water with a Lagiacrus, help or hurt him, he's going to think the same of it." "That's because I don't need your help, I'm going to be the hunter who gets his way to the top by himself, I don't want to rely on you guys because then you'll think I owe you something, I'd rather you guys try to hold me back than help me, at least then I could say I shoved through my competitors." "Well, even I hunt with two other guys, they get along a sight better than Steve and Jasper, I'll give them that, but the thing about them is that they disregarded each other completely at first, mean words told to me about the other while his back's turned, the cruel tricks they've played on each other, but you guys give plenty of attention to each other, the negative kind. Oh, did I forget to mention that on our hunts together they've become more like friends than they were? I think risking they're hides together is just what they needed." "Really, well maybe you should tell that to Jasper, every hunt we go on together he tries to hog all the supplies." "Tries to hog all the supplies?" Rick inquired. "I beat them out of him one way or another, once I brained him to hard with my shield and had to set him on the bed, I came back to rest and he tried to strangle me, then I showed him the mushrooms I got, he snatched them out of my hand and threw them in the box, the guild sent a letter saying they wouldn't accept the damaged goods, so I went by myself and got the sweet prizes, I then sold all the supplies in his item box and kept the cash to myself, he went out there and struggled, though he eventually got the supplies, I kept telling him the Lagiacrus would sneak up on him if he wasn't careful, he came back with a temper, but the others were there, so he left me alone." "Yeah, but I got you back, remembered when I found the box empty, I made you get up and find the supplies, I inventoried everything." "Yeah, anyways, that was a guild quest they came up with for uncertain hunters, those they think weren't born to hunt, I think we did okay, I mean, I did okay. Hey, Rick, you good over there, you look pale." "I'm fine, it's just that when you was talking about the quest I got a mental image of the flooded forest, I hunted alone there, me and the Duramboros, Kayamba was there to, he's feisty, but he was no good against that thing, they thought the guy was the other hunter I mentioned, Cha-Cha, but it wasn't him, though they both have as much conceit as the other, anyways, Kayamba fainted and I had to continue by myself, after the quest I came back, he recovered later and we went back to the village, Cha-Cha had some kind of timing, anyways, hopefully you understand that I've seen this mess once before, you guys need to learn to cooperate better or just forget the other exists." "Yes, well, I am trying hard to ignore Jasper, but he's not easy to forget, as much as I'd like to." "Well, Steve, Jasper, we'll just have to find a way to hunt with each other without making a mess, two groups, you guys decide who's ready to make up and shake hands and come to me, we'll hunt together and get along." "I'll get along." Robin said and stood up, Lisa and Ronald nodded and stood, Jay smiled and jumped up, then tumbled back and fell on the floor, Jeanette stood up, sighing, and helped him up, Steve stood, "I'm ready to make amends whenever you are, Jasper." Jasper stood up, walked over to Rick and frowned, "I'll be in the group not hunting with you, under your authority or not, I hunt alone." "At least let someone go with you." Robin offered, Rick nodded, "She's right, if we're going to be training you guys we'll have to go out in the wilderness, I have this letter from my Guild liaison, she's sent me instructions to talk to the man, so I'll do that, they'll send us on our boat ride and we'll head to the Sandy Plains, it's very nice there, except the fact that it's extremely cold at night, while during the day it's extremely hot, we'll have to hunt a favorite of mine there, though I'm not sure how you'll handle it, it's a Great Jaggi, the problem is that it broke into a village near there and somehow got into the supplies, everything, might pill, adamant pill, armor skin, mega dash drink, if I can make it the Great Jaggi ate it, and for this one moment I must regret that I make a lot, but only because that leaves about everything in the book in that thing's stomach, our duty is to stop that monster before it destroys everything, and did I mention that it's going to be stronger and the hide is now thicker? If anyone doubts themselves they should sit this one out." The hunters shared many glances, and then Robin stepped up, "We may doubt ourselves, but your expertise is unquestioned—you are the guy that took on the Rathalos and Rathian at the same time, right?" "Yep, I don't see why it matters, but I did." "Well, you should be able to protect us, slay the monsters, teach us, and be back here before the sun sets, of course, well help too, we want to fight, this is a good lesson, the best way to learn to hunt is to hunt, I want to hunt." "Look, he can't be everywhere at once, and he can't possibly protect us and fight, and teach us." Ronald said gesturing with his hands. "Yes, he can and he will protect us, of course, he can't do all the protecting, we'll have to watch our backs as well, but he's so strong, you can hear his muscles from here!" "Actually, Ronald has a point, I couldn't protect Kayamba when he needed me, but he attacked the Duramboros viciously, he could have gotten himself killed, but he survived, now sure, I could protect Cha-Cha, but it was no threat level three I'm talking about, Cha-Cha merely put himself in the way of level two monsters and I finished them off for him, but he helped, I don't know for sure, but I have a feeling that if you guys watch your backs and fight like you were trained to, then maybe this will be a Cha-Cha incident and not the one with poor Kayamba and the Duramboros. I think you guys are up to it, but I devised and employed the same plan Robin has, so if you want to learn to fight you'll have to watch me and fight, or just fight and forget paying attention to me, whatever works best, each hunter is different, each one has a special quality, no two hunters are and can never be the same, even the same hunter isn't the same, I'll take you all down to Moga Woods and we'll find you some supplies for the armor and swords you'll need, okay?" they all agreed and followed Rick to the counter, "Okay, I need a harvest tour in Moga Woods for eight hunters, okay?" "Alright, wait, I heard you right, eight hunters?" "Yeah, I just needed to know if I could do that." "Just because you've fought a monster that you wasn't authorized for and got away with it with no more than a pat on the back of the hand, and one that—I must say—I'm not sure even has a threat number, doesn't mean you can bend the rules, right, Guild Master?" "Absolutely," the Guild Master said, bringing a smile to the Guild girl's face, "not, I won't hear of it, he's done a great deal for us and I think he deserves to bend the rule just one more time, besides, he's the instructor!" the receptionist's jaw slackened until her mouth was wide open, "Did I hear you right? Yes he can bend the rules? How on earth, why does he get to bend rules and I can't? Gong Girl, is that fair?" "He is the instructor, so yep." "She won't say anything against me, I gave her that position, you don't think she would try to get on my nerves, do you?" he asked, stretching his arm out to the Gong Girl, she snarled and in one swift move brought up the round orb on a stick and sent him into the water, Rick and the receptionist exchanged glances, then she shrugged, "If the two of them say it's fair for you to bring eight and she can get away with bludgeoning him then I don't mind to much, in fact, I don't care at all, I'm getting paid for this, have a safe journey." "We will to do that, thanks again." "Thank Mister Soggy Shirt, if it was up to me the four only rule would prevail." As Rick and the party left the Gong Girl sighed, "Which is why it'll never be up to you." She said, then looked back to the Guild girl, "Want to go to the grill while the Guild Master dries off?" she asked the receptionist. "Yeah, it's not like he's going to notice anything different about the Guild counter, what do you say, sis?" the girl on the other side of the counter smiled and nodded, "I'm having the mega bagel!" "And I thought I was the only one who knew about those." And with that, the girls left the counter.

**Here's the author's note, I haven't went on a quest with anyone ever, but I played the Monster Hunter Tri on Wii, so I had a pretty good idea of what monsters would be there for me to fight, though I thought I would be able to fight monsters during the night when I first started, after the Purple Ludroth quest I was happy to learn that the villagers were actually the ones who kept me from going outside at night—how caring, but they should have told me to begin with. I hope the first chapter has made a good impression for the Monster Hunter Files! Hero (what you may call me if you would prefer to avoid typing my full title [and for that I don't blame you]) signing out. **

14


	2. A Trip through the Woods

The Monster Hunter Files

**Disclaimer slash hero alert (I don't think that's bending the rules, disclaimer's right here): Kokiri (Hylian) Hero back, and still he doesn't own Monster Hunter Tri, Ultimate or the original—this is going to have to do for the disclaimer, besides, adventure more suits me than this. And that was the author's notes! That's right, they actually fit up here with the rather short disclaimer*the crowd goes wild (but no author's note, so who can blame them?)* I'll still say something at the end, just to make the goodbyes seem more official and less open ended.**

A Trip through the Woods

Rick sprinted out of the camp area with the seven hunters behind him, they each had a sword and shield, but he had two blades on his waist behind him, and bluish black blade with green edges, "I doubt we'll need any weapons, but just in case we have to we can defend ourselves, but we are not equipped to take on any monsters, okay?" "Ha, ha, ha, you're the one running out full speed!" Robin answered, stopping at a plant with blue flowers, "I'll just gather some ivy here, okay?" "Yeah, sure, I'll see what those bulb plants over there are." Ronald said, nearing a waterfall. Rick stood smiling at the surroundings, "Rick, what's with the cheeriness, you have to babysit us novices, that can't be fun, what's up?" "Nothing, Mike, just that these woods feel like home, I come out here sometimes, when there's anything to hunt, these are my favorite hunting grounds because they lie just outside my home village. But we've been in the camp area for a while, now just seems like the time for something to show up, maybe I'm just over-" He gasped as he heard the pounding steps of a blue haired monster, "Arzuros!" he exclaimed, "Everyone, watch out!" as Ronald heard Rick say this he turned to see the Arzorus standing on two feet with its arms spread out, Rick ran to the Arzorus and in one swift motion thrusts the twin blades into the leg of the beast, then jumped up, twirling with the blades cutting up the monster as Ronald shuddered, then ran a short distance and jumped, Robin, Jay, and Lisa stepped in front of him and watched as Rick combated the monster, "Everyone back, now!" Robin helped Ronald up and started towards the camp, "Come on, guys!" she called out to them, Jasper frowned angrily at her, "And to think you're in love with the old man, never mind, I'm about to make my name here!" "He doesn't need us, he's a master hunter, an Elite, get out of there, Jasper! This is a piece of cake for him! And to think he hates and envious the man who I think is my age, and I'm not in love with anyone! What, is he trying to make a statement?" she asked herself. Jasper disregarded her completely and jumped up with his blade above and in front of him, bringing it down on the back of the monster's legs, "Scram, Jasper, you'll get yourself killed!" "You just want to prove yourself hunter, I'm in this for the same reason; you owe me for this!" "I don't need you here, go and collect some field items with your friends, do as Robin says." "They aren't my friends, but my audience, witnesses to the greatest fight I've ever been in." "Are you stupid, this thing will be the death of you, you have few medicines to use if you get hurt if you go, or don't you care?" "I have what I need, old man." "First off, I am a young man, second off, this thing is stronger than I'm willing to risk you on, running around in your practice clothes, shorts and a shirt, that's all you have on, if this thing smacks you in the head hard enough-" the monster fell and he put his blade away, "So, what was that, old man?" "That was mostly my blade, and I am not an old man!" Robin watched as Jasper and Rick ran up to them, "You guys are back! I told you guys it was no small feat for him, oh, let me guess, Jasper was more hurt than help?" "I don't know, it doesn't matter either way, he kept me unwanted company and scraped me once or twice, other than that he wasn't there." "Hey, old man, you scratched me too!" "I was there first, and who's old? You fight about as badly as an ancient epioth. Just a figure of speech, I never saw any old epioth, or at least not that I know of, most of them are taken out by bigger monsters while they're young, but those things are weak to begin with, is what I mean to say." "You saying I can't fight?" "Not with that blade and no armor you can't, you'll get stomped!" "I'll make sure to defy you by finding another of those bear things and taking it on, in this gear." "Come on, let's just get some iron ore and get back to Tanzia, I'm starved!" Ronald moaned, leaning forward and continuing his complaints, "Sure, you just go back to camp and rest a while." Jeanette offered, pointing back the way they came, "Great, see you guys around." He called back, Rick shook his head, "I'll go back with him, Robin, who's the voice of reason for this group?" "That's me," she answered, glaring at Jasper, "the one that Jasper pays no attention to, why?" she asked, looking back up at the new instructor. "You're in charge while I'm gone, it seems you have a level enough head, and if you see any monsters of any size you'll either pull the group out or tell them they can do what they want, oh, and don't wait around for me, just head to the caves and get what we came for, alright?" "Hey, it's just us, we'll be fine. You worry too much." "And that's why you're in charge, someone has to worry about you guys, and you two," he pointed at Steve and Jasper, "play nice." Rick departed for camp with Ronald next to him. Robin looked back at the team and she held up a pickaxe, "Let's hurry to the caves, and remember what he said about the monsters, I'll lead us in, Jeanette and Lisa, you take my left and right, Jasper, you stay at my back and Steve, you watch our backs, if anyone sees a monster we'll have to make a choice on what we'll do, leave that to me and be prepared for the order, right now we'll go to the caves, everyone has their torch?" they lit their torches and followed her to a clearing with a large rock in the middle. To their left stood an opening to the caves, ahead of them on the right was a small pool on water surrounding them were little monsters that barked and howled at them, "Jaggi, these things are good to practice fighting the Great Jaggi, let's take them on!" at her words the group drew their blades and went after the monsters, Jasper grabbed his shoulder as one of the monsters got him, "We're wasting time, I've got a suit of armor I want and I'm not waiting around much longer!" with that he left for the caves as Robin called him back, "Come on, he's bound to find trouble there, and if the caves don't kill him Rick will!" "I hope so." Jeanette muttered as they went inside the dark and muggy caves of Moga.

Robin heard a sound coming from the left passage and took that one, she saw Jasper mining away at a wall with a nick in it, she motioned for the ground to stay back and slowly crept up behind him, then kicked him, he yelled and jumped to the floor, "What was that for?! I thought you were the instructor!" Jeanette snickered as Jasper wiped some sweat off his face. "Why did you think that? Had Rick found you instead of me, would you have regretted abandoning us?" "I didn't abandon you, I got scratched up by one of those monsters back outside, so I came down here to apply a little medicine." "The smartest thing you've done all day, why didn't you tell us? Why did didn't you come back, what's the matter with you?" "I want to be a loner for a while, that's all, I don't need anyone, never will, not like you, though, what happens if Rick dies out here in the woods?" "Don't even say that!" "Then where is he, huh? Has he _abandoned_ us?" "He'd never!" "What makes you say that, huh? Did he promise to always be there for you? Did he say he'd never leave this little band of hunters? Or are you hoping he's a good guy because you like him?" "You think you're so smart, but the thing is, if he did leave us it's your fault, you ran him off, but then, nothing would run him off, and I don't think he's the type to abandon a quest unless it's way too early or if he forgot something or is under prepared." "Highly perceptive of you, Robin," the group gasped as they heard a voice in the dark, "I'm glad I put you in charge, though you needn't kick Jasper, I think its punishment enough that he has to address us as superiors from now on, don't you?" "I guess so, but it was just that he's been so hard to get along with lately, I guess all that violent anger kind of bubbled up and exploded, sorry." "It's alright, to tell you the truth I understand, but he's still going to have to be in working order if we're to hunt the Great Jaggi, especially considering that it's gone on a rampage, it's not a good thing that it's gotten a hold of the supplies, but I'm confident that if we work together the hunt shouldn't be the end of us, this is an Urgent Quest, after all." "An Urgent Quest, really? I thought we had to prove ourselves first." "Yes, well, the Great Jaggi is just one part of my Urgent Quest; the other side is training you guys, and this is counted as your first quest, it does get a little complicated, but I don't usually dwell on the minor details, as they usually don't last long anyways, not in the quests I'm used to dealing with anyways, usually I just do what I have to, the rest works itself out. Alright, everyone, let's take out the nets and pickaxes, I'll take out the Giggi if I see any." After they left the caves Rik led them back to where they had encountered the Arzuros, "See those big, striped creatures? Those are Aptonoth, we'll hunt those things a get back to camp." They took out their weapons and attacked the herd of Aptonoth, "That's only a level one monster, the Lagaricrus is all the way up at five, I ran one of once, but I couldn't just yell and throw dung bombs, I had to face it, if only for a half the time the actual killing would have taken, I could have been fried or mauled, or, knowing my luck, both." After they had carved their kill they went back to camp and Rick cast a line out on the dock down the stairs before the tent, Lisa tapped him on the back, "Are you an expert fisherman?" "Nope, I just use the right lures and watch and wait, that's all you can do sometimes. One I caught a Gubol." "A goo who now?" she asked, closing an eye and squinting the other. "Gubol, it's a level four monster that likes frogs—that's the secret, if you want to catch a Gubol you just have to know how to go about hunting it." "I'll keep that in mind." She said, back to the stair end of the dock, "Oh, and Lisa, do me a favor." "Sure, what is it?" "When you see a Gubol, hit the lantern on its head for me, okay?" "Then what do you want me to do?" "Oh, whatever you want, I just want to make sure I pass that on, too few hunters know about that trick." He caught a few fish and the others, not including Jasper, joined him, Jasper gazed at them until they had to leave.

**I told you I'd be here. Try out chapter three (when I finally post it, that is!). Oh, and could you read and review it? I mean, if you have something to review, of course, but that ranges from a pat on the back to flames. Feel free to, I have my shield at the ready. And if I failed my quest I must be told, mustn't I? "Just shake your head and say yes." those are the words of the Guild Sweetheart (just before or right after the Masked Robbery quest, I can't remember if it was just when she tells me it's an Urgent Quest, or right after I tell her I got the Ultimate Mask—she says that's what I said, but she said my friends called it the Unfortunate Mask, apparently the hunter agrees with them on this matter, for it is labeled as the Unfortunate Mask.)**

6


	3. Preparing for the Hunt

The Monster Hunter Files

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Monster Hunters, not the Tri, the Tri Ultimate or any of the others there may or may not be. My notes are below here, that way you don't have to look at them unless you want to. **

**Ah that last Preparing for the Hunt was the incorrect one, my mistake, apologies, readers; I'll try to avoid this problem next time.**

Preparing for the Hunt

Night found the hunters at the grill, relaxing after the run in with the Arzuros. Robin found Rick sorting through the blue box by the departure gate, "So, what armor type would recommend?" she asked as he stood placing items in the box, "Whichever one brings out the best in whatever hunter is going to be running around in it, you wear what has the most useful strong points for you, usually I would tell you to dress for whatever monster you've got a date with, but for this quest we'll just pick the one that brings out our best, I'll be wearing this Qurupeco Armor. " "I understand, I just want to know what your preferences are, and you are an Elite Hunter, after all." "Well, that's true, just take a look at the armor and figure out what suits you best, then you upgrade it a little and upgrade weapons, and learn monster weaknesses and work on technique until you reach the level of mastery I'm on, it's actually not that hard, the old smithy should be able to make something out of what we've found. Look, I saw you looking through some papers, it looked like you had a list, did you have a particular armor set in mind?" "Yeah, I had been thinking of getting some of the hunter sets, then you come along in the same fur coat I was thinking about, and I've been thinking that maybe you had a favorite, do you?" "I did go around in my Hunter Armor set for a long time, but I soon expanded on my collection." He turned away and frowned, looking down, "Rick, what's the matter?" he smiled, "Nothing, just old memories, nothing for you to worry about." "Alright then, I just wanted to catch you before you went back to Moga, you did say you were going back." "Yeah, I thought I might drop by, but I may as well stay here for now, maybe grab a bite. I can cook, but the only things I can prepare quickly without anything being underdone is steak, but I have few steaks and little time to cook them in, so I'll just stay here and see what's ready at the grill." "Okay, I wonder what Jasper will think about you hanging out with us, he didn't really warm up to you yet, but trust me when I say it won't always be that way." "You sound as though you've experienced what I must take is his initiation for the new kid." She laughed and shook her head, "Yeah, he called us all names, but he's a good guy on the inside, and there have been many times when he's stood by his friends through thick and thin—whenever he wasn't dancing on Steve's nerves, that is!" "Sound as though they consider each other worthy as far as rivalry goes, but what are they fighting over?" she shrugged, and scanned the benches, Steve and Lisa were talking across from each other in whispers while Ronald and Lisa were looking over a book of monsters, Jeanette kept scolding Jasper, who kept turning away, waving the back of his hand at her dismissively. Robin saw the table was heavily populated with plate and mugs, she looked back at him, "Well, it seems were limited on space, since they're already settled in I'll tell them that we're eating down stairs if they want us." "Alright, I'll be down grabbing a seat and saving one for you." He said as he stepped down three steps, then stopping as he picked Jack, in the armor from the picture, out of the shadows.

Jack was leaning against the quest counter, staring at the board then he noticed Rick staring at him and started waving the other hunter over next to him; Rick walked over to Jack and stared at him, "What brings you down here, Rick old boy?" Rick turned around, then back at Jack, "Is that my name now? Sorry, Jack, but people here already want to say I'm old, best to keep our buddy names out of hearing range, alright? Yeah, about what brings me here though, I'm on business. I must say, I would have missed you altogether if you hadn't sent me that letter when I was in town." "This is a lucky thing, then. Have you heard about the Misty Peaks?" "Sure, only Elites are allowed to go, are you saying that you're a level three now?" "Level seven, but I stopped counting at five." he patted the yellow gun on his back, "This is the Pleasing Sea Sniper, pleases me well enough, it deals water, and it has four decoration points, I filled them with two level two attack gems, I used them against the Pink Rathian once, she didn't have much of a chance." "Really now, the swift Pink Queen of the Peaks felled by you, and then with a gun, is that a heavy or light?" "Heavy, I like the fire power, and yes, I felled the Pink Rathian. Felled from one end of the Misty Peaks to the far other side of Moga, I've been all around this fine world." He took out a piece of paper and smiled, "Yep, two minutes and I had the Guild handing over Rathian carapaces and other carves to me, they just kept throwing them my way, I was invincible, but then James, and you remember that guy, he snuck up behind me and took an attack gem right out from under my nose, I've informed authorities, but I'm keeping it on the down low, but they are very busy, so I was hoping maybe you'd accept this quest I've presented you, no time limit, no fee, reward is four hundred zennies and the only term is that you have to bring Jack along, also, no one else knows about this, okay?" "Then who all knows about this quest?" "Well, long story short, this isn't a quest, I just forged this paper to make it look like one so you'd pay attention to me." Rick shook his head and scoffed, Jack stepped back and held out the paper in his hands, "Hey, look, I know I caused you some grief back in my," he grunted, placed his left hand on his face, thumb and forefinger spanning above his lips, then removed his hand, smiling brightly, "greenhorn days, yes, back in my greenhorn days, uh, look, I know you are just talking to be polite, but formalities aside, you and I are not friends, the opposite of brothers, we wish each other grief, but look at this like a job, is four hundred too little, that's fine, five thousand, this is important and I know you can do the job, look, I know you are busy, but if I came with you on your quest I could help. I could distract anything you need distracted and you could use you whetstone." He looked up at Robin, who just sat down next to Rick, "Cool, you have other hunter friends, so, you're taking up my quest?" "I don't know, last time we went out on a quest together things didn't go too well." "Ah, yeah, but look at my armor for this time, how do you think I had armor of this caliber forged unless I was something?" "Hey, Rick, is this guy from the Guild or an old friend?" "Robin, meet Jack, Jack, this is Robin, one of my seven students." "Ah, Robin, you know, that's my favorite bird. Am I a friend, or from the Guild? Rick, she seems very protective of you, I think she was scared that I was coming to take you back to the Guild, ha, ha! I remember a time when I couldn't take ten Jaggi back to the Guild, now I'm lugging around anything and everything I can back to the Guild, often five level fives at one time, anyways, yeah, she seems very protective, like you're private property or something." "Well, he is my instructor." "Ah, well, I'm no instructor, but I'm a pretty good hunter, the Guild must think good hunters are capable of monsters and novice hunters, though the latter remains to be seen." "Okay, well, think about my quest and their quest, is there a reason not to multitask?" "Yeah, okay, Jack, you can come with us, we'll accept the quest." "Great, I've ordered some Master Cola and Royale Cheese, and our dinner today has been ordered, I had the chef sauté one, stew another, and steam the last one, how about it, who wants what? Sorry, but I've already started on the steamed." Robin thought about it for a moment, "Sautéed." "Great, Rick?" "Stewed, I guess." "Fantastic, I'll send another bunch of sautéed meals for your buddies up there, if you don't mind me buying for all of your friends." "That's alright by me, just be careful around Jasper, he doesn't listen to Robin, and she's the voice of reason in our little group, or big, if you count the fact that usually only four are allowed and we have eight, of course, you make nine." "Nine lives buddy!" Jack said raising a hand while Rick and Robin slapped theirs with his, then he went up and started yelling enthusiastically, "I'm buying your meals tonight, my friends! Any friends of Rick are a friend of Jack's, and I should know, because that's me! Who wants some Master Cola and Royale Cheese whoa-ho!?" everyone up on the grill deck cheered and the two below heard them clanging their mugs together, "Well, they seem to approve that plan." Robin said, pointing up at the stairs "Yeah, but Royale Cheese on a bagel also sounds appetizing. Hey, does anyone know which weapon they want to use out in battle?" "I don't know, I use either swords and shields or dual blades, though I've recently tried using a bow, but I am capable of handling a bow gun." "Yeah, I use both a sword and shield or dual swords, whichever one of the classes has the best weapon for me at that time." "That's probably what I'll end up doing, plus any guns I can find." "Yeah, well you may as well go get yourself some weapons, a few upgrades, make your way up in the hunter world." "As a hunter, how long did it take you to get this far?" "Well, if you talk to my Guild instructor you'll see that I'm still pretty fresh off the boat, but it's been a while for me, considering what I've been through." "Yeah, who's your instructor?" "Well, he actually quit, but even if he doesn't remember me, I remember him, he's the guy with money being the topic of almost every story that makes it out of his mouth." "Oh, that guy? Seriously, I'm really glad that he didn't influence you too much, I mean, I considering the arrogance that guy wears like a glove." "I understand completely." "Well, good then, I'm glad you understand how things stand, you're just a great instructor, right?" "Right, now, let's go round up the others and I'll help you guys suit up." "Actually, I'd rather go alone right now, tough times for me and all, I'll be back." "You could tell me what tough times means, I'd like to know what to expect from this group." "Well, Jasper and I are usually on good terms, but lately he has been trying to get everyone in the group to believe I'm a complete idiot, I'd prefer to let them know that I know by silently voicing my opinion in the matter, they'll know why I went without them, they'll understand and they'll tell me that they never believed a word Jasper said, until then I can only wonder." "What if they do think you're a complete idiot?" "I'll know then that this group isn't the right one for me and I'll go." "Or I could be the sticky stuff that holds us together, all nine of us—or eleven, I'll go get my Shakalaka friends—if they're home." "Don't they have magical dances that aid their hunters?" "Yep, and believe me, I know it's hard to hunt when everyone around you doubts your abilities, my Shakalaka friends were like that to each other, they're not so bad about fighting in the middle of battle anymore, but they still compete for me as their minion slash lackey, Cha-Cha says lackey, Kayamba says minion." "So, you know my problem then, that I'm not just afraid for me here, all of us are in danger, I just hope the rest are mature enough to see that." "I see what you mean, if they aren't able to understand the risk of trying to depress you then you'll have to leave, sounds like a tough call, but we can only hope they like you too much to even consider running you off." "Yeah, well, try not to mention I'm gone, they might worry if our fears are groundless." "Yeah, I think someone should go along with you though, Jack was here about a missing decoration for his armor, someone from our past, a little thief that we could never prove to the Guild that he was a thief, but we both know it's true, I don't need you becoming a victim of whoever stole Jack's decoration, the chances are good that the person followed him in hopes of getting more loot." "Okay, you can come along, no one else, they'll likely tell Jasper and he might try the same stunt." "How do you know I won't tell?" "Oh, I'm just worried about Jasper for the sake of your job, if it was up to me, I'd tell him anyways, trust me, he tries to change, but if he goes to a store it's a stunt, he can't do anything without bringing danger." "I'm sure it's not that bad." She smiled and shook her head as she led him to the smithy.

"So, I've been looking at these pieces for a while, I like them, and you seem to like them too, so they aren't just fashionable, though they are definitely that." "Yes, they are that, but you also see something else in the armor, that takes something special. Wow." "What's the matter?" "That's what my aunt told me. Every time I did something that she thought was special. I remember when I told her what I'd do with my talents, she asked if I thought for a moment, or had any doubt at all that I could be wasting my time, if I said yes she would believe me, if I said no she would believe me, I said I'd come back if it was a waste, and I know she believed that too, but that was several years ago, she died a little later and I was certain I wouldn't waste my time by fighting any wild beast who got too close to villages, villages that were there first, I knew what I had to do, just like you know what armor to pick. I just want you to know that I think you have what it takes to become a great hunter, but only if you think so can you actually survive the ordeal, if you doubt yourself you might make frantic choice, make big plans and you'll be very likely to do everything you can as a hunter to become a great protector of many people who are in danger of monster invasions." "I understand, a lot of things are at risk, I just wish there was a better way to choose armor, you know, instead of just picking one that can only provide so much, how about your armor, it seems you can do whatever is required, like you have the best armor or something." "It depends on who you ask, right now I can go around hunting happily, I don't have too much too worry, though I can't say that a monster foe was a fair fight to begin with, they can't defend themselves. Unlike people, but I'd hate to have to fight another person." "I'd hate for you to have to do that, it would be terrible, you seem to be a nice enough person, I mean, to have kept your cool when you just got dropped in the middle of a Jasper problem day." he smiled and pointed down the steps, "Don't worry, I'll distract them if they come this way." she walked down to the counter where the white bearded smithy studied the grains of the wood where he did his work, "I need a few pieces of armor, I think I have everything I need here to make the armor set." He nodded and opened up a menu, "We've not had an order to make armor in a while, but I'm not rusty in the least, you just tell me and we'll have you set up with the armor you want, just point and I'll get to the work part of my work—and I mean seriously point, it's loud back there, my apprentice is making such a racket! But there's learning there too." She pointed out the five pieces and he looked back at them, "Give me a while and you'll have a pretty decent set. Ah, what's that Rick kid doing now?" Jasper was yelling at Rick and Rick was yelling back at Jasper, Rick pointed back at the gate and stared angrily after the other hunter as he stormed away, "What happened?" Robin inquired, Rick shrugged, "Jasper's being a hard head, he doesn't understand that team players support each other, I told him that he would have only slowed you down, and the way he looked after that, that glare told me that he didn't want me here to begin with, I'm beginning to regret having signed up for this, but they who watch from the sky ordered me to this." She tilted her head and he laughed, "Yeah, I know, crazy, but the Guild was actually watching me in the decisive battle, they know the village wasn't evacuated, they know I faced the Ceadeus, but you know how it goes with me, you name the monster and I get rid of it. Well, you'll figure that part out soon enough." "About you destroying every monster that gets a name from the Guild? Are you sure you'd face any monster that the Guild names to you?" Rick smiled and looked back at the gate, "Well, not every monster they name, but certainly any monsters bothering people, I mean, Great Jaggi are fine and in the clear until they howl for an attack on some village, that's where we come in, I guess we'll go tell the other hunters and make sure Jasper didn't go spreading some lie around." Robin frowned, "He did, trust me, Jasper only gives that glares when he's thinking of something cruel to say. Maybe he's just testing you, trying to see that we'll get along, he tried that with all of us, I soon tired of fighting back and—never mind, it's a long story. What did he say?" Rick shrugged, "He said nothing, is that bad?" "Sooner or later he's going to say something to someone about this, and I don't think the group will be happy to learn that you don't trust them to support and cooperate with each other, much less me." "Well, they seem to be alright, it's just that you can't use a field horn for one big monster without calling any other ones that may or may not be within hearing range—unless the other one is in a trap." "In which case one of them should have been tranq bombed by now, or else you're one dead hunter." "I know it, that's just asking for trouble." "Yeah, well, tell me, you said that if you could make it the Great Jaggi ate it, what all could be in that thing?" "Too much of a good thing in the wrong place, I just hope—ah, I hope it didn't swallow a Power Talon! But there's no way it would eat that unless someone starved it and released it there, I'm thinking a hunt gone wrong." Robin nodded, then went back to the gate, "Yeah," Rick sighed, "I know, I've got to tell Jasper something don't I?" she shook her head, "He just has a short temper, but he can control himself, you just have be patient." He followed her to the grill and found Jasper alone, "Where'd everyone else go?" "To their boat cabins, but do you realize how many hunters have to live in those things, it's really annoying, because the person in the cabin across from mine snores like a Great Jaggi." Robin made an annoyed face and shook her head, "Yeah, and you'd know that how?" Robin asked, arms crossed, Jasper stood up and stumbled once, then sat down and rubbed his leg, "If my leg wasn't asleep I'd push Rick down on your behalf and tell you straight out that I hunted one once back at my old home before my parents told me how my talents were wasted on their farm, how I could be a hunter, be famous, help them, I was waiting for the day I could leave, I saved up my money, but I didn't expect a parting gift of five hundred zenny, I couldn't believe my luck, so I left and took all the extra money, now I'm here—of course, some hunter girl invited me and Steve on a quest once, she said she didn't like the idea of hunting alone, she was the popular kid back in the city, or so she said, and I have to say, she certainly seemed use to attention, and she said we had primitive hunting skills, so I killed the Great Jaggi she wanted to capture and we failed the quest." Robin looked back at Rick, who shrugged, "I guess you really are cruel hearted, Robin, has he ever told this story?" she shook her head, "Well, I guess that would be unsettling, we'll forget about that and you wait until your leg wakes up, then tell it we leave at dawn." Rick chuckled as Robin gave Jasper her instructions, but as he was walking away Jasper called him back, "And what about you, old man, where are you going?" Jasper asked impatiently, Rick smiled, "I have a date with a Rathian in Moga Woods, she's wearing pretty green scales and I could use the parts for a blade upgrade someday, you never know, oh, first I'll make sure everyone gets back to the boats safe." "I don't want your escort, soldier boy, I'm a man, and I have the skills to take care of myself, you remember that." "Eh, don't mind him, come on, Rick, mine's that boat with the pink ribbons, they call that ship _Wrath in Pink_. Oh, great, it looks like Jeanette's arguing with the lady who runs the boat, those two haven't been friendly since we showed up the other day, I think they know each other from somewhere, this must be way too close to home for poor Jeanette, she seems to have made some friends and then they got angry, I can't remember what she said happened, but it wasn't good, she's likely to tell it again, I'll try to salvage the situation. Hey, Jeanette, Mandy, why another fight?" she asked placing a hand on both their shoulders, "Mandy here seems to think that she can keep me off her boat, I say that the Guild paid for my lodging, so if the facts stand as I have said, she ought to let me go to my room, on my prepaid bill for my prepaid lodging!" "Yes, and Jeannie here seems to think that just because the Guild paid means she can't get a refund, or maybe I can say that I lost the papers that say she was sent by the Guild to begin with, no one will complain to me, will they? Oh, and Robin, I found out you let her have the second room in your cabins, you're also no longer allowed on the boat, and who's this guy? Is he your persuasion or something?" "Their instructor, Mister Rick, I am the Elite Hunter you've probably heard a little about." "Oh, yeah, I heard about you, you know, my sister is also a hunter, you don't scare me." "Well, I have connections inside the Guild that will discredit you and your boat lodging, look, we're on a very important quest tomorrow, it's important that they be well rested." "Oh, oh my gosh, I didn't know it was a quest you were going on, oh, man, sorry, if she just had to say so in the first place I would have let them aboard!" "But I did!" "And how many times have you lied with a straight face?" "Yeah, well, those were trivial matters." Rick raised his hand, "Can everyone just settle down a bit? Thanks, meanwhile I've got to go out on some business. And remember, I have strings, you don't think so? Don't find out." He left the group as Mandy went to one of the houses at the docks and the two huntresses went aboard the boat.

"Finally that's all over with." He said as he came up to the cat with a bandana, "Neko, Tiger of Far East, I need to get to Moga Woods, and I know it late, but do you think you can pilot a boa at night?" the cat laughed and waved his hand towards the boat, "Tiger of Far East has excellent night vision, trust Neko!" "Thanks, you wouldn't believe the kind of day I've had." The cat laughed again before answering, "I bet you wouldn't believe me either, I got this letter saying that you're going places now, way far out places with no idea of when you return, yes? Or is it no and the Argosy's owner and my friend the captain is just playing a joke? Well, which is right? Is he telling a joke, or are you on a long term quest?" "I'm going away for a little while, yes, but I don't see why the captain thought that was important, or how come he knows, but then again, the village chief is a retired hunter with Guild ties, and the captain is his longtime friend, so I can see how he knows, but why should he tell you?" "Because, Master Rick, from now on you are my master, your wish is interpreted by me as a command." Rick rubbed his neck, then replied, "So I'm your boss? I can tell this is going to be a very interesting Urgent Quest."

Rick stepped off the boat and went to the counter, the Guild Sweetheart was looking through her notebook when he walked up, "Hey," he called out, smiling, she jumped up and dropped the notebook, then stooped down to pick it up, "You know, Rick, you must be a ninja, or something, you leave this village for just a little while, and when you return you sneak up on me, like Rathalos to an Aptonoth. And I didn't see it coming, man, you're good!" "Actually, I've not even scratched the surface, but this proves to be a most interesting quest indeed, my only question is how it is that now Neko is on the quest, I don't understand this, not to mention that aside from having to remember to bring along my servant I also have to contend with an old hunter buddy and a group of new hunters who have not even begun to trust me, can things get any worse?" she patted his right hand he had rested on the counter, "What's so wrong, good hunter, that you're unequipped to deal with some kids and an old friend, tell me what the big problem is." "There's this one called Jasper and he's dead bent on killing me." "Oh, things are about to take a turn for the worse." "You have some powers to peer into the future?" "No, but you asked if things could get worse, now they will." "Not if I can help it." She slammed her book shut and he jumped at the sound, "That's the hunter spirit! Plus, it's my turn to scare the living daylights out of you." "Yeah, well, I'm still concerned about Neko—and what's up with you being up this late?" "That would be my doing." "Village chief?!" he asked as he turned to see the source of the noise. A lean, tan, grey haired man with a green cloak and a smile on him stood behind Rick and tapped Rick's shoulder, "I mean about Neko, not her staying up past my bedtime, but I can't set everyone else's bedtime, so don't blame, me, but if you don't want the cat to come with you, just say so." "No, it's just that I didn't expect your friend's cat servant to try to help out, please tell me that the captain is just kidding." "No joke, he saved the cat, and as far as I'm concerned you saved the village, and as far as the captain of the Argosy is concerned you saved fought the Ivory Lagiacrus and won back his friend's dignity, and brought mine back by fighting my enemy for, and removing the risk the monster imposed on his ship me on his behalf, it makes his job easier, and so, as a reward, Neko will fulfill his master's debt by serving you, on his master's behalf." He said, finishing as he sat down and took a breath, "I know it's a lot to take in, but you have extra protection, it makes your job that much easier!" "I can see how he'd feel grateful enough to transfer his debt, well, I guess I have to accept, it's be rude not to, right?" the chief unleashed a powerful laugh and slapped his knee, then leaned back in his seated position and stood up, "Consider it a gift of gratitude, just like way back when the Ceadeus answered to you for giving us a hard time. Well, I've said my piece." Rick nodded, "Well, I'll be out on a hunt then, see you guys later." "When can we expect you to come back?" the Guild Sweetheart called out as he stepped up to the stairs, going pass his house. Rick shrugged and looked around, "I guess before dawn, maybe sooner, we'll see soon enough when I'll be back from my hunt." The chief nodded and turned back to the counter, the Guild Sweetheart was digging out a sleeping bag, "What, are you going camping in the Misty Peaks?" she shook her head, "No, I don't like the idea of random monsters showing up, but when Rick says he's going to be back soon I know that means he's going to be back maybe tomorrow." The chief held out his empty palms, "Maybe this time 'soon' has to be 'really soon', when times change, our personal definitions on various topics my slightly shift, for a man who has just eaten, bread and water may be barely sufficient, but when you've been starved a while even Guild Rations taste sweet!" "Maybe, or maybe being an instructor has stressed him out beyond his usual limit, he, he, but I bet not as much as that time the Lagiacrus showed face out of no place, you should have seen the look on his face, like, 'Oh, no, what's going on?' I nearly died laughing, you know, I had to perfect the art of suppressing a bad case of the giggles." "You were terrified to death!" she slammed her fist on the table, "Nu-uh! I'm never scared of anything!" she went back to the bag under the counter and examined a pillow, but put it back and chose a different one, the chief's lips were drawn straight across their path until he smacked his hand against the counter, winning a yelp from the girl, "You say, never, hmm, interesting, was that a battle cry?" "Surprise, dear chief, is the emotion that you just saw, what were you thinking?! I'm so telling your son. I thought we broke you from that habit." The chief walked away to the dock laughing.

Rick ran up to the green dragon and jumped out with his blade drawn, the dragon flew back and stayed airborne for a space, then slammed its feet into the ground, he ran to the monster as it began spinning around, swinging its tail pass him, "So, Rathian, want a candlelit dinner?" he rolled to the side as it jumped up and threw itself backwards in the air, "I guess you really want to poison me, huh? Well too bad, I cut it off way back there!" it spat fire at him, but he had rolled clear and now attacked the throat, "Gee, girl, what did I do, your brother is usually the one to give me a hard time, ah, great, look, it's been fun and all, but I can't continue chasing you, just fall before I have to leave you here, if only I had a trap!" he continued slicing at the ankle until it fell down, "There, that wasn't so bad, maybe I'll have time to watch the sunrise before I get out of here." He heard something crunch behind him and turned to see Jack hiding in a crater, "Well, I see you don't have a problem with heights anymore, Jack." The man stood up and shook his head, "Yeah, it's not heights; it's the falling down part I don't enjoy thinking about. Not that I ever found evidence of your fear. And how'd you know it was me anyways?" "First things first, I smile, the best hunters smile, and you, you are the only one who wears that yellow outfit while still having an excuse to find me, and you know where I live, village wise, anyways." "Yeah, and there's so many places for me to look for in this village, I mean, it's gigantic." "Sarcasm was never your strong suit, still isn't, don't try it." "Should have warned me when I was talking to that Jeanette girl, she can knock a Barioth's tusks off with one blow of her fist. They should make her register her fists as lethal weapons, or I can make a new brand of weapons, 'Jeanette's Fists of Finesse' what do you think?" "All I have to say is that you'd better be wearing some good headgear when you open the store, she'll be your first visitor, not customer." Jack adjusted his headgear and tapped it, "Yeah, this'll hold up well enough, it absorbs punches like water!" "You sure know how to sell it, that outfitter girl had better watch her back." "Not at all, I'd much rather see the world, unlike some of us." He said, pointing at Rick, "Yeah, I see the world and I'll soon take a band of hunters along with me on a quest, which is my quest and at the same time there test, and then you show up, taking advantage of the free time, how was it you came to know about the quest?" "Oh, you still check out those petty details, don't you?" he asked as they walked down a path behind the holes dug up in the ground, "Keeping an eye out for any game changers, I like to know what's going on, and you're coming with my new hunters too, so I would prefer to be fully aware of the possible interactions." Jack smiled, "That was a nonnegotiable point, thank you much." Rick chuckled, "What's the Guild going to do with you?" "I'm not with those guys, but that doesn't matter, look, Rick, we're both expert hunters, we know what's what in the great world out there, but I won't stand in the way of your instructing, unless you just want help, not need, never need, just want, I may be a client, but I'm still a hunter, we hunters have to stick together, right?" Rick chuckled, "Yeah, just like you watched out for me when that Purple Ludroth went on a rampage, I told you to hold the shield while I went and gave it Dual Blade butterfly slice to the face." Jack stepped away and pointed at him, "You said 'Move' so I moved, thinking—my mistake—that you meant for me to run like you was, so I moved, and then you tried to run, your mistake, should have rolled out of the way, but instead you got drenched, you got poisoned." "Yeah, it's a good thing I had that antidote on me at the time." "Good thing the Guild watches out for their hunters, huh?" "I should think their hunters having each other's backs would be better, but even if I didn't have the antidote that I packed for myself that the Guild didn't give me because I already had all the antidote that I could carry, I would have had my reward decreased, courtesy of the cats hired to drag off our sorry selves." "Hmm, but we didn't get fined once, lucky, huh? Hey, how was that dinner?" "It's still with me, I had time to hunt two Rathians, but there was only one, and that was it." "Well, I'll have another of those for you, alright?" Rick smiled, "Is this early payment for getting those decorations back?" "More like a foretaste of what you'll get for being the hunter you are, and the hunter you'll be known as." Rick tapped the front of the shield he carried, "What good is a good hunter with no weapons?" "Let Jeanette be proof enough that some are born with gifts, just not us." "Well, here we are, back at the counter, where's the Guild Sweetheart?" "I don't know, no one was here earlier, much less your liaison, trusty she is not." The chief slammed his fist into the counter and crossed his arms as she saw Rick and Jack, "Fine, you were right." She said as she rubbed her eyes and slowly got to her feet, "Who is he?" she asked, pointing at Jack, "Oh, he's a hunter from my past, we've met, and several quests of ours went sour, but nothing too bad." "Not when you're in the midst of things, how's the quest going?" "We move at dawn, and it's that time, I was just about to start saying my farewells, and I'll be back, so don't let this place go to the dogs, okay?" she nodded sleepily and sunk back under the counter, "Don't worry, this old chief won't let anything happen to your precious home, I'll tell junior that you'll be back." "Thanks, can you also tell the villagers, I wouldn't want them to worry about me, and I'll see if I can write back to you guys. Well, come on, Jack, time to introduce you to Neko." "Not him." Jack muttered as they found the cat, "Hey, that guy, yeah, he is the cause of my unwanted dive; I promised to give him a good talking to!" "Yeah, well he's with me, a client, but after this is over you can own up to your word, or look at it as though he owes you a favor." "Well, a friend of hunter's is mine too, for now you're off the hook, but next time you're on the hook, you'll be bait, I'll catch a Lagiacrus with you." "Yeah, dream on, cat, I'm not going to stick around long enough to get fed to the fish, for now take us to Tanzia, got it?" the cat glared at him and Jack turned to Rick, "Yeah, look, you two can get back to the small talk later, but we do need to be leaving right now." The two glared at each other and the three boarded the boat.

Rick and Jack met the others at the counter where the Guild Receptionist looked through some papers, "Sorry, fellas, we're all booked, or, rather, everything's under inspection, termites and the like, you'll have to find another boat, but here, the Guild will compensate you for that loss, one thousand zenny, right out of the Guild Master's pocket—quite literally, I must say." She added the last part under her breath; Rick leaned in closer, "What was that?" "What does that mean? It means we're reluctant that you won't be getting the three star treatment, that's what, fare thee well!" she dismissed them and they walked back to the grill, "Okay, guys, I have a plan, Neko's a friend of mine and is actually obligated to help us, so we have a secured ship, meanwhile Jack has ordered lunch, so we'll dine and dash, okay?" they all nodded and sat at the table, while they were eating Neko jumped up on the table and snatched up some of Jack's meal, "Hmm, hmm, oh, yeah, that's a good meal, hmm, yep, well now, hmm, oh, oh, Jack, was this your meal I just ate, licked my fingers, and ate some more of, oh, so sorry." "I officially owe you nothing. All here are witnesses to this." "Not until I save you from drowning, buddy." "That can be arranged." Jack mumbled as he swished his drink in his mug, Rick stood and glanced at everyone's empty plate, "If this lunch is over we should all head over to Neko's ship." They stood and followed Rick, Jack, and Neko to the ship, "This is Neko's boat; he's the Tiger of the Far East, he modified the boat overnight to be very large perfect for this occasion!" Neko boasted, Robin turned to Rick, "Well, does Neko know what we're doing with his boat, I mean, favor or not, this is probably not what he had in mind." Neko laughed as he pulled his brown hair back with a paw, "I'm Neko, fair huntress, ha, ha, ha, but at least I know that you're here to keep everyone in line, ha, ha, ha, ah, in all my days as a shipmate on the most seaworthy of vessels never before have I seen such a great future, I am proud to say I'm sailing you guys around, plus I don't have to carry a bunch of various things around this way, two birds and one stone, right?" Rick grinned, "I'm just glad you were able to help us out of this mess." The cat jumped up on the barrel next to the boat and waved his paw towards the boat from their direction, "All aboard!" he bellowed as the crew went aboard the ship, he jumped off the barrel and landed next to them, "Sails set and all hands on deck, if there's nothing left behind worth taking with you then we're off!"

**My notes, as promised! You have ****quest****ions? I have answers, here are my answers to questions that may or may not be posed my way. Question number one: Is there such a thing as the Pleasing Sea Sniper? Not that I know of. Question number two: When will you break out the Shakalakas?! I mean, come on, hero, it's the third chapter and they're not here yet, are they not going to be here? Expect them here by the tenth chapter, or sooner. Actually, I'm thinking about having them on their own adventure, you'll see why, just give me a few more chapters, I'll have to drop them in at just the right time. Maybe at the end of the next one! Aw, now I'm getting excited, which means keep the plastic away from me, or there will be impulse shopping. You don't want to see that, trust me. This is Hero, signing out! (Whispering) I will be back. **


End file.
